Water tank arrangement, particularly in connection with a heater or air conditioner for a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a water tank arrangement ( 4 ), particularly for a heater or air conditioner of a motor vehicle, comprising a water tank ( 3 ) which is disposed in or on a housing ( 2 ). Said water tank ( 3 ) is embodied so as to be integrated into the housing ( 2 ).

The invention relates to a water box arrangement, in particular for a heating or air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, according to the preamble of claim 1.

A water box is known which is screwed from below onto the housing of an air conditioning system, that is to say the housing receiving the evaporator of the air conditioning system. In this case, problems often arise with regard to leaktightness, so that water drops occasionally emerge laterally.

The object of the invention is to make available a water box arrangement which does not have the abovementioned disadvantage. Furthermore, the production costs are to be reduced.

This object is achieved by means of a water box arrangement, in particular for a heating or air conditioning system, having the features of claim 1.

According to the invention, the water box is designed to be integrated in the housing, that is to say the water box is part of the housing. Preferably, in this case, at least part of the water box is formed in one piece with part of the housing.

Preferably, a two-part design is provided for the water box and housing. This reduces the production costs, since only two molds are required.

Preferably, the water box arrangement is divided transversely to the water box and housing. This makes it possible to have simple molds for production. That is to say, in the installed state, the division is provided in the vertical direction.

The parts are preferably connected by means of a welded or adhesive joint. This allows simple assembly, although other connections or even combinations of various types of connection are also possible.

Preferably, a tongue-and-groove connection is provided, with the aid of which the two parts can be positioned exactly. The tongue-and-groove connection is arranged, in particular, in the region of the water box.

An evaporator is arranged, in particular above the water box, in the water box arrangement.

The invention is explained in detail below by means of an exemplary embodiment, with reference to the drawing. The single figure shows a diagrammatic illustration of a cross section through a water box arrangement.

An air conditioning system 1 has a housing 2 with a water box 3, designated below as a water box arrangement 4. An evaporator 5 is arranged in the water box arrangement 4.

The water box arrangement 4 is divided along the sectional line of the figure, so that the water box arrangement 4 consists of two parts which are connected by means of a weld seam. In this case, those regions of the two parts which bear against one another in the region of the water box 3 are designed in such a way that a type of tongue-and-groove connection is obtained, thus ensuring exact positioning and consequently also an exact weld seam.

To produce the water box arrangement 4, the two parts of the water box arrangement 4 are produced in corresponding dies. After assembly, during which the evaporator 5 is also inserted and fixed, the two parts are welded together, the weld seam being formed so as to be fluidtight, particularly in the region of the water box 3.

According to a variant which is not illustrated, a tongue-and-groove connection is provided over the entire contact face of the two parts, and the fixing of the two parts to one another takes place by means of an adhesive joint. 

1. A water box arrangement, in particular for a heating or air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, with a water box (3) which is arranged in or on a housing (2), characterized in that the water box (3) is designed to be integrated into the housing (2).
 2. The water box arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least part of the water box (3) is formed in one piece with part of the housing (2).
 3. The water box arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the water box (3) and housing (2) are of two-part design.
 4. The water box arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the water box arrangement (4) is divided transversely to the water box (3) and housing (2).
 5. The water box arrangement as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the water box arrangement (4) is divided in the vertical direction.
 6. The water box arrangement as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the parts are connected by means of a welded or adhesive joint.
 7. The water box arrangement as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the parts are positioned by means of a tongue-and-groove connection.
 8. The water box arrangement as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the tongue-and-groove connection is arranged in the region of the water box (3).
 9. The water box arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an evaporator (5) is arranged in the housing (2). 